16 Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society Vol. XV 



by the first line of his description, vi.s., " Females. Head black, 

 often more or less yellow on the vertex." In 1888 females and 

 workers of auricomus and workers of americanourm in my col- 

 lection were all identified by him as pennsylv aniens. B. auri- 

 comus seems to be common at least in New Jersey. It is fairly 

 certain that he had specimens of it and that his failure to distin- 

 guish it was because he mixed it with americanorum. Those 

 who hold that Mr. Cresson did not mix the two species must 

 maintain the absurd position that while the collection contained 

 80 specimens from 12 states — males of auricomus and females 

 and workers of americanorum — it contained no examples of the 

 females and workers of auricomus. 



Since these bees were distinguished by me, fervidus has been 

 identified by Fox and me as pennsylvanicus, auricomus has been 

 identified as pennsylvanicus by Crawford and Pierce, but amer- 

 icanorum has not been so identified except by the anonymous 

 persons referred to by Franklin. 



De Geer's description is a good one for fervidus, better than 

 the one made by Fabricius. I would not accept an identification 

 of De Geer's species by the figure as against the description. The 

 description seems to be perfectly accurate for the colors, while 

 the figure gives a different impression even for the parts it shows. 



The paper, published in Ent. News, March, 1890, p. 39, in 

 which the two species identified by Mr. Cresson as pennsylvanicus 

 were separated as pennsylvanicus {^= auricomus) and american- 

 orum, was transmitted through Mr. Cresson and its conclusions 

 were accepted by him. 



In a letter of October 20, 1888, he says, " Have you ever been 

 able to find the female of Apathus? elatus?" November 13 he 

 writes, "I would like to see the Apathus"? elatus matter unrav- 

 elled. It mystifies me considerably." September 5, 1889, he 

 writes, " Your favor of the 27th ult, about Bomhus pennsylvan- 

 icus and Apathtis? elatus has interested me very much. I have 

 no doubt now that we are nearing a solution of the problem and 

 that you have about found it." November 8 he writes, "When 

 you have completed your notes on ^. ? elatus and B. americanorum 

 and pennsylvanicus please send them on and we will publish 

 them." 



